@Rainman, We are making sure to keep the springs out of the pond and let the creeks fill them. We had a well drilled earlier this year and went 160 to water bearing sand and did not hit a single rock. Very strange land out this way for sure and it is almost all clay.
Part of the reason for the 'test pond' was to do some experimenting with just what will happen to the water levels as we get in to the heat of summer. We have several neighbors with some pretty shallow spring fed ponds that got real low last year, but never quite empty. We've never seen that particular creek go completely dry so that gives me a lot of hope.
@CJB, BG are not a must have at all. If I can make it work I'd skip BG and SMB entirely and look more toward YP and WE if I can.
As for time, my wife and I were semi retired when we bought the land and both went back to work when we realized just how much we wanted to do and how much it would cost. So once the building is down we are both looking at kick back and just 'playing' on the farm and pond.
